Two Months To Live
by Coral Candy
Summary: It's a muggle disease, the doctors say I have about 2 months, she told him. To what? To live. DRACO/HERMIONE
1. I Don't Understand

Hey everyone this is a new story, I originally wanted it to be a oneshot but then realised it would be way too long, plus it would take forever to write.

DisclaimerI do not own any of Harry Potter, it all belongs to JK Rowling, I just write about her creations!

Rated T

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Two Months To Live

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"I don't understand." he told her.

"It's a muggle disease, the doctors say I have about 2 months." she told him, her eyes filling with tears, it had been so much harder than she thought it would be.

"A month for what?" he asked in fear of knowing the answer. Her head was bowed and her bushy hair was falling in front of her face shielding her from his view. He couldn't see the tears that were rolling down her cheeks but he knew they were there.

"To live" she whispered, her voice sounding every bit as though she was crying. He gasped, even though he had prepared himself for the answer. Just hearing her say that she was going to die broke his heart.

"No, no, wizards are much more advanced in medicine, Madame Pompfrey will be able to cure you in no time Hermione." he told her reassuringly. She shook her head.

"No, it's too late, they could have if I'd had been in the early stages, but I'm not." she said breaking down into sobs.

He pulled her towards him, engulfing her in his arms. It was too soon, she was only seventeen, this wasn't supposed to happen.

"There's nothing that can be done?" he asked fearing his voice would crack because of the tears he was holding back.

"No, they've done everything they can do."

He kissed the top of her head letting the tears roll down into her hair. They stayed that for a long time, lying out on the grass in front of the Whomping Willow. None of the teachers who knew about her illness had the heart to tell them to come in. Not even Snape or Filch.

"Draco," she said finally pulling her head away, "I'm going home on the weekend; my parents want me at home."

He sat there speechless, he had a day left. A day until the only person who he had ever cared for and in return, cared for him disappeared from his life forever, for tomorrow was Friday.

"What?" he asked weakly.

"I'm leaving on Saturday evening, the teachers know, we don't have to go to lessons tomorrow."

"I won't-" he started the tears making his voice croaky; "I won't see you after that?"

She looked down, it was all the answer he needed. It was all wrong, this was the girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, he was going to propose to her, he had already had the ring made. It was in the common room he and Hermione had share since the September the year before. He had planned on waiting until Graduation when he could ask her parents for permission, if they said yes; he was going to ask her during the feast. Not even Harry and Ron knew of their relationship so that would be when they found out.

"We have tomorrow and all of Saturday..." she began.

"Hermione, I love you, tomorrow and Saturday isn't long enough. Don't you understand, not even sixty or seventy years is long enough" he cried. She looked at him, the tears still rolling down her cheeks. She stared into the gray eyes she used to hate. They too were full of tears.

"I didn't want to go, I wanted to stay here with you, my parents don't know about you. I didn't know how to tell them that I'd rather spend the last two months of my life with a person they didn't even know existed." she said.

He looked down at the floor in despair, he felt utterly helpless. There wasn't a thing he could do to stop what was going to happen. He pulled her towards him again this time holding her as if this was the last time he would ever hold her.

The teachers looked on sadly. Professor McGonagall had tears screaming down her face as did Hagrid, Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick.

"I never thought that relationship would work, I told her she was makin' a huge mistake." Hagrid said.

"It is a terrible thing is illness." Dumbledore said.

Hermione and Draco never made it back to their common room that night. They fell asleep on the grass still holding one another like they had the night before. The teachers had eventually woken them up, so the students wouldn't know when they went for their first lessons.

"Harry, Ron, could I talk to you?"

Harry and Ron turned away from their game of chess to see Hermione in the doorway of the common room with Draco; both looked as if they had been crying all day. They had.

"What is he doing in here, in fact how did he get in here?" Ron asked looking livid.

"Ron, he's Head Boy, he knows all the passwords." Hermione said her voice breaking slightly.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Harry asked worriedly. He always was more observant than Ron.

"I need to talk to you."

"Okay, well tell him to go away" Ron said pointing towards Draco.

"I'm not going anywhere!"

Hermione sat on the couch that was closest to the chess board that Harry and Ron were playing on, they took it as a sign to follow her, as did Draco.

"Harry, Ron, you know I love you guys right." she said both nodded looking slightly scared.

"Yeah, we love you too." Harry told her. She smiled at him; he was obviously going to be easier to tell.

"Well, I love Draco too.' she told them. Ron's jaw dropped, Harry's expression didn't change, almost as if he expected this to happen.

"WHAT!" Ron yelled, standing up. Hermione's eyes filled with tears at the tone of his voice.

"Ron, please sit down, I'm not finished." she said timidly.

"What, are you going to tell us you're pregnant too?" He screamed.

"Shut up Weasley, before I break your neck!" Draco shouted at him, wrapping an arm around Hermione protectively.

"Draco, please" Hermione said quietly.

Harry pulled Ron back onto the couch. He didn't like the look on Hermione's face; he wondered too if she might be pregnant. It was impossible he knew, Hermione was waiting for marriage.

"There's something else,"

"Yeah well, we gathered that.' Ron said sharply. Harry and Draco both glared at him.

"I have Cancer." she said quickly. Harry looked up shocked.

"What?" he asked breathlessly. Ron looked at him confused.

"What is that?" he asked all traces of anger gone from his voice. Hermione had started crying again.

"No, they can cure it right, I mean you're getting treated, you'll be fine right, Hermione. Hermione?" Harry asked frantically. She slowly shook her head. She fell against Draco who instantly put his arms around her.

Harry slumped against the back of the sofa. Ron who had figured out that it was an illness, most likely a muggle one.

"What do you mean no? You're not getting treated. Hermione are you mad, you need to get to a doctor!" Ron cried.

"I've already seen one, there isn't anything anyone can do. I have two months." she sobbed into Draco's robes.

Ron put his head in his hands.

"I'm leaving tomorrow." she told them.

"Why?" Harry asked, his tears rolling freely down his face and neck.

"My parents want me home."

"You mean we won't see you again?" This caused Ron's shoulders to start shaking. His whole body being shook by his crying. Hermione freed herself from Draco's grasp and ran into Harry and flung her arms around him. Ron joined in, both of them hugging her fiercely. Each of them crying. Draco watched on helpless. His own crying hadn't stopped either. They stayed like that for an hour before the dinner bell was called.

They walked down to the Great Hall. Dumbledore was making the announcement to the school that night. Opening the large doors, they saw the whole hall had been decorated. It was obviously for Hermione but none of the other students knew that. They were talking excitedly. It had been decorated according to Hermione's taste. Piles of books were magically suspended in midair over the tables. The ceiling was enchanted to look clear and bright even though it was raining. Hermione gasped, she saw Professor Dumbledore smiling at her and she once again broke down into sobs. She ran through the gaps in the tables and flung herself at him. He seemed slightly shock but nonetheless hugged her back. She made her way back to the Gryffindor table where she saw Harry, Ron and Draco already seated. She smiled to herself; it seemed ironic that the only time that they could get along was a time when she would shortly be leaving. Everyone seemed shocked that Draco Malfoy, enemy of Harry Potter, was choosing to sit with them.

"Students, can i please have your attention, you are all probably wondering why we are having such a dinner in the middle of a school term, and the reason is Miss Granger, your Head Girl. She has worked so hard in the past year and every year since she came to Hogwarts seven years ago, that we have decided to hold a feast." Professor Dumbledore said. The plates suddenly became high and full of food. The food had never tasted so good to Hermione. She ate everything she could, until the main course dishes disappeared and were replaced with desert. All her favorites were there, Pavlova, Apple Crumble, and Chocolate Gateaux. At the end of the dinner it was time for everyone to find out. She had no idea how she would cope with it. Draco wrapped his arm around her tightly. A gesture that caused every single person in the Great Hall jaw's to drop.

"There is an announcement to be made before you make your way back to your common rooms. Miss Granger is leaving Hogwarts School of Witchcraft And Wizardry tomorrow." he announced. Gasps were heard all along the Gryffindor house table. No one had expected her to leave. She was supposed to graduate with flying colors.

"You may leave now"," he told them smiling. Hermione looked up shocked; he was going to tell them later. She felt relieved, no one would come up to her and ask her how she felt about it.

The next day passed all too quickly for Hermione and Draco who hadn't left each others side for a second since she had told him 2 days before. Before Draco knew it he was waiting with Harry, Ron and Hermione for her parents to arrive in Dumbledore's office. He was going to collect them via floo powder.

"Can I have a minute with Harry and Ron please?" she asked Draco, both of them already openly sobbing.

"Sure." he told her before kissing her on the nose and smiling. He walked over to the back of the office where there were chairs. He sat on one and waited.

"I just want you to know that how ever much I moaned about doing your homework for you, I really loved it. It made me get inside your heads, you know, I knew what you were thinking. All our adventures together meant the world to me. They really did. And as much as you will want to come and visit me, I don't want you to. It will be too hard and it will hurt too much. I love you." she said. Ron spoke first.

"Hermione, whatever I said about you and Malfoy, I want you to know that I approve now." Hermione starter to grin through all the tears.

"Hey I mean it and I never really thought you were pregnant, I was just mad. I knew you would never, you know.

You didn't did you?" he asked. She hit him.

"No Ron!"

"Yeah well that's what I thought. I just wanted to make sure," he said grinning.

"Hermione, I love you, you know that right?" he said. Hermione nodded, the tears spilling out. He hugged her tightly and kissed her on both cheeks and the forehead. He stepped back and Harry stepped forward.

"Harry," she started, "I'm going to miss you so much! You are so brave and you are going to win this war okay?

Do it for Sirius okay?"

"I'll do it for you, I'll find a cure for Cancer, I swear I will." He told her. She smiled sadly.

"What if you can't?"

"I will." he said determinedly.

"Harry, you can't save everyone. You do do a hell of a job, but you just can't okay, and it's not your fault."

"I love you."

"I love you too." she smiled. She was caught in his hard embrace. She stayed like that for several minutes before he kissed the top of her head and pulled away. He wiped the tears away from her face.

"Hey, don't cry, okay, you'll be at home while we're in Transfiguration." he told her, trying desperately act cheerily.

"Yeah."

He hugged her tightly again before stepping back with Ron. Draco took this as his sign that he could come back over. The four of them sat on the couch nervously waiting the arrival of Hermione's parent. When they did the flames in the fireplace turned a bright green before both Mr. and Mrs. Granger came stumbling onto the rug in front, after they had stood and brushed themselves off, Dumbledore came, landing smartly on his feet.

Hermione promptly burst into tears at the thought of leaving Hogwarts.

"Honey, are you ready?" Mrs. Granger asked sadly, her eyes brimming with tears. Hermione slowly nodded her head. She walked up to Professor Dumbledore.

"Sir, you have been an inspiration to me all through the years I have spent here, I would just like to say thankyou." With that she hugged him. The twinkle in his eye had gone.

"Miss Granger, you have been an example student here, it has been an honor meeting you." He bowed before her. Mr. Granger picked up her trunk and walked towards the fire place. Hermione turned her attention back to Draco. The tears had already fallen and were now running down his chin. Hermione gave a sob before running into his arms. He held her tightly, knowing this would be the last time he would. He couldn't bear the thought and pretended as if he was saying goodnight. She was sobbing openly into his chest, with Harry, Ron, Dumbledore and her parents watching on sadly. She pulled away before grabbing his hand and leading him to her parents.

"Mum, Dad this is Draco." she told them smiling despite her tears. They shook his hand and smiled politely.

"Hermione, we need to get going love." Mr. Granger said.

Draco pulled her towards him and kissed her. On the forehead, on both temples, on both cheeks, her nose and lips.

"I love you." he whispered.

"I know, I love you too, so much." she sobbed.

"Don't go, please." he pleaded.

"I have to." she said. She took one last glance at him before climbing into the flames with her parents.

"Hermione, I trust you will be able to get your parents home?" Dumbledore asked. She nodded and shouted the command to make her way home. She was gone in a puff of smoke.

"Nooooooooooo!"

Draco fell back against the couch, not quite believing she was gone. Dumbledore looked on sadly at the scene before him. Three young people who had lost a dear friend. It was unbearable.

"Come back," he whispered to the fireplace. When nothing happened he ran forward and grabbed a handful of floo powder. Before he could go anywhere a firm grip on his shoulder stopped him. When he turned around to yell at whoever had caught him he saw Dumbledore looking sadly at him while shaking his head.

"No Draco, she didn't want you to see her for a reason."

"I don't care, I love her. I need her." he cried. Harry and Ron were both sitting on the couch, heads in hands and not bothering to look up at them.

"Honey, you take your bags upstairs and I'll get us a snack." Mrs. Granger said. Hermione took her bags up to her room. She hadn't been in that room for eight months, it didn't feel right. She was meant to be in her and Draco's head common room. She lay down on the bed and cried. Cried because she was scared, cried for her parents, cried for him and cried for what might have been.

Okay, first chapter done. I won't continue if nobody likes it, so if you like it, review!

Coral Candy

P.S I am working on the next chapter of After She Awakes at the moment expect it sometime next week.


	2. Staying Away Just Hurts More

A/N - Hey, thankyou so much to everyone who reviewed. I have two new Harry Potter oneshots so please check those out, until then here is the next chapter of Two Months To Live.

Two Months To Live

Chapter 2

By Coral Candy

"Sir, please, let me go. I'll do anything." Draco pleaded. His eyes held a look of helpless desperation to them.

"I know Draco, I really would let you go, but Hermione doesn't want you to visit." The headmaster said, shaking his head as though he thought the idea was ridiculous too. Draco looked down at the floor, he was defeated, and he didn't know what to do. He wasn't ready to give her up, not yet.

"You are excused from all lessons on Monday, your fellow students can bring your homework up to you," he told them grimly, "I would just like a word with Mr. Malfoy before you leave."

Harry and Ron who were still in a state of disbelief, nodded mutely and staggered out the door. Once Dumbledore heard the Gargoyle entrance snap shut he turned his attentions back to Draco.

"I know Mr. Malfoy that you will attempt to leave the school, and I can do nothing to stop you if you succeed, but please remember that Hermione asked you not to visit her for a reason, she is probably hurting just as much as you are right now." he said wisely.

"Is there absolutely nothing that St Mungo's can do?" Draco asked, the tears in his eyes threatening to spill over at any point.

"No, I will check again this evening, but they are working on new potions all the time."

"Thankyou sir," he said quietly before turning his back on him and exiting.

He walked back to his dormitory in a state of shock. The place seemed so empty without her; there were no longer books scattered all over the floor, or paper on her desk. It seemed oddly darker as well, it was as if she was the light of the room and now she was gone, and the light had too.

"Hermione! Dinnertime!" her parents had called up the stairs a half hour later. When she hadn't come down after a good ten minutes had passed they went looking for her.

"Hermione? Hermione?" they had whispered in order to make sure that they didn't wake her if she was asleep. They needn't have bothered, she was perfectly awake and didn't intend on sleeping. She had a felling that it would stay that way until the end. The sight that met her parent's eyes broke their hearts. She was curled up on her bed, facing away from them, clutching her pillow desperately.

"Hermione? Are you alright love?" her mother asked carefully. Hermione did not turn around or reply; in fact her mother had no knowledge that she had even heard her.

"Is this about Harry and Ron?" her father asked. He really did like Harry and Ron, despite their tendency to get his daughter into sticky situations. They had always looked out for her and he was thankful to them. Hermione gave a sob at hearing the names of her two best friends. Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked at one another sadly.

"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will let them come and visit sweetie." her mother told her reassuringly.

"No." Hermione said sitting up, "I don't want them to come, I'll look awful soon and I don't want to scare them."

"Darling, you won't look awful!"

"I will!"

"I don't want anyone to come!" she cried, turning over and sobbing into her pillow.

"Okay, if that's what you want." her father agreed.

"Hermione, what if that boy comes?" her mother asked, the truth was she had been dying to know what that boy meant to her as soon as she saw him. She had recognized Harry and Ron instantly but had trouble placing Draco, she had of course never seen him before and that was why. Hermione was silent for a while, neither of her parents wanting to ask again.

"I don't want to see him either," she announced shakily, in all honestly, she would have given anything to be in the head's common room right now with him.

"Who was he Hermione?" her mother whispered.

"I told you, his name is Draco." She said.

Her father recognized this name as the name of someone who had tormented his daughter mercilessly over the years. Tormented her about her heritage, tormented her about them.

"The boy who bullied you?" her mother asked, clearly shocked that her daughter would let someone like him come and say goodbye and in the way he did. She hadn't missed the kisses he had given her, or the look in both their eyes as she had left, she was her mother after all. It was the look of someone that was in love.

"He changed Mum."

"The one who was very rich, very famous in the wizarding world?" her father asked. She nodded, lying back down onto her pillow.

"Why was he there?"

"He wanted to say goodbye," she shrugged, not really wanting to discus the details of her relationship with Draco, with her parents.

"Why?"

"Jeez Mum, he just wanted to, now can everyone please leave me alone!" she cried, the hurt becoming too much to bear inside. Her eyes were brimming with tears; her parents saw this too and were not going to give up until they found out why this boy had made their daughter so unhappy.

"What did he do to you Hermione?" her mother asked clearly. Hermione looked at her confused.

"What did he do to you Hermione that is making you cry now?" she asked, this time with a much stronger tone.

"HE MADE ME FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM!" she yelled as she fell back exhausted, openly crying onto the sheets. Her Mother who was prepared for such an outburst did not look quite as shocked as her husband did.

"I love him, I love him," Hermione whispered to herself, turning from side to side, trembling. She curled back into a ball before her mother folded her into her arms and rocked her back and forth whispering to her.

Her daughter had fallen in love at last, she smiled to herself knowing how happy she must have been a few days earlier and then to have it all taken away from her, she couldn't even imagine how she felt. Mr. Granger who's shock seemed to have worn off looked down at his wife cradling his distraught daughter and even though he hated the boy for making her so unhappy when she was younger, he couldn't help but wonder what he had done to make Hermione miss him so much. He awkwardly sat down next to his wife and stroked Hermione's hair while she sobbed into her mother's blouse.

"Please don't cry Hermione," Mrs. Granger said through her own tears, "You know how I hate to see you cry." This didn't seem to have much effect. She just sat there holding her daughter while she broke down. She couldn't bear to see her like this; normally she was so lively, witty and strong willed.

"You're going to make yourself ill Hermione," she said pleading with her to make her stop. Hermione took a great shuddering breath.

"I am ill." She stated, "I'm going to die, remember Mother, or had you forgotten!"

She got up and ran out of her room and down the stairs until her parents heard the slam of the front door. Her mother got up to follow her but her husband stopped her.

"Leave her for a while, she'll hopefully calm down while she's out," he told her.

"I didn't mean- I forgot-" she stammered over her words. Her husband just pulled her into her embrace while she cried, wishing he could do the same with Hermione, instead of having her cry alone in a dark park somewhere.

Draco sat alone in Hermione's room on her bed with all the lights off, fidgeting with the ring he was supposed to give her with her parent's permission on their graduation, and now he knew that Hermione wouldn't even be alive when he graduated.

KNOCK KNOCK

He slowly got up and made his way to the portrait hole.

"Who is it?" he asked weakly.

"It's me," came a voice from the other side.

"Who's me?"

"Ginny."

He opened the portrait and squinting from the light that was pouring in was able to make out the silhouette of Ginny's form.

"Weasley?" he asked.

"Malfoy!" she greeted. She was one of the thousands that still didn't know the real reason for why Hermione had left. He had a feeling she was there to find out. It was indeed the reason she came, Harry and Ron had muttered something about it not being there place to tell, an answer she was most unhappy with. At this point in time, she neither noticed nor cared that his eyes were red and swollen, due to the past three hours he had spent sobbing lying on Hermione's bed.

"What do you want?" he asked sleepily for in truth of the matter, he was exhausted. Spending three hours pouring your heart out to a photo and a ring did nothing for your health.

"Why did Hermione leave, and don't give me the reason that you don't know, because I know you do." She said.

"What makes you think I know?"

"You're Head Boy Malfoy, of course you know! You spent the past nine months living with her!"

"Well I don't."

"Whatever! Tell Me! Now!" she yelled. Draco was quite surprised that someone so small could be so scary and fiery.

"Go pester your brother, or your boyfriend." He said turning around, Ginny took this as an invitation to come in. She followed him down the stairs and sat herself down on one of the armchairs.

"I've asked them and they won't tell me." She said, "Why are you undressed?"

"Because, in case you haven't noticed it's ten o'clock." He said pointing to the clock on the wall.

"Exactly, don't you have somewhere to be?" she asked.

"Like where?" he was in no mood to argue or torment her as he usually did. He didn't hate her as much as he made out he did. It was mostly show, to keep people from working out about his relationship with the former head girl. But right now he didn't care if Ginny worked it out.

"Like out with a girl."

Draco's head shot up; was it possible that she knew already.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know, you have a reputation…" she trailed off awkwardly. Draco chuckled; it seemed as if their cover story had worked.

"Well, why did Hermione leave?"

Draco wondered about telling her the truth, Hermione after all had planned on telling her but she was so wrapped up in talking to him as long as she possibly could, they had forgot.

"She's gone back home," he whispered.

"Yes, I gathered that." Ginny snapped, but she immediately realized it was the wrong thing to do, Draco could change his mind about telling her.

"She's ill."

"Oh, so she'll be back," Ginny said, her voice carrying a lighter note. Draco shook his head, he could feel the tears forming and he had no intention of holding them back.

"She has Cancer." He told her.

"Cancer?" Ginny asked looking puzzled, she had heard about it before, she was sure she had.

"Muggle disease." Draco explained.

"So she'll be okay?" Ginny asked, unsure. The tears in his eyes over spilled as she asked this. Ginny looked incredulously at him, not quite believing that Hermione's worst enemy was crying over her leaving.

"Malfoy?" she asked uncertainly. He looked up at her, making no move to cover the tears he had shed, "You okay?"

He smiled at her worry; even though he had taunted her the six years he had known her, she still felt the need to make sure he was okay, much like Hermione.

"No, not really," his answer made Ginny become scared. Malfoy had _always _shown a brave front.

"Why not?"

"Hermione's gone?" he answered. She looked at him, her head turned at an angle, looking at him puzzled.

"She has two months to live," he said. Ginny gasped tears filling her own blue eyes.

"What?" she whispered.

"She left this evening; her parents wanted her at home."

She collapsed against the back of the chair, grabbing the arm rest for support. They sat like that for a few moments, neither of them moving, neither of them speaking. All the while Ginny observed Draco's expression, after a while she had come to a conclusion as to why he was looking like that.

"You were in love with her, weren't you?" she said, as more of a statement rather than a question. Draco looked up at her astounded that she had worked it out so quickly. He nodded his answer.

"Did she love you too?" she asked.

"I think so." He said shakily, she had said she did enough times.

"I think she did too."

Looking back on her sixth year she had realized the times when she had caught them glancing at each other and dismissed it without a thought had actually been times when they were falling deeper in love with one another.

"Yeah, but I'm never going to see her again am I."

"That depends." Ginny shrugged.

"Depends on what?"

"Depends on whether you fight for her."

"Fight for– For Merlin's sake, she said she didn't want to see me."

"And you're just going to let her slip away, just like that are you?"

"No, you don't understand, how am I supposed to see her, she's gone home!"

"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore would let you go and visit her."

"He's already said he won't."

"He might make an exception."

"An exception for what?"

"A special circumstance."

"Like what!"

"Think Malfoy!"

He did think long and hard about what on earth she could be talking about, special circumstance? He thought this whole situation was a special circumstance.

"I can't think of anything!"

"God damn it, THINK!"

"I am thinking Weasley!"

"Special Circumstance, think of one!"

"I think this whole bloody situation is a special situation!"

"You say you love her…" she coaxed.

It hit him like a ton of bricks, of course, he still could, there was still time. His eyes lit up and Ginny smiled. He could go down there the next day, no tonight. Ye tonight, he would of course ask her parents. He bolted towards the door before either one of them could break the truce they had going.

"Malfoy, you need a ring," she reminded.

"Oh yeah," he said, turning and running towards his room. He came back out with it, a simple delicate design, Hermione didn't like fancy. It was classy, elegant and very sophisticated, very Hermione as he put it.

"You already have one!" she asked.

"Yeah, I got it weeks ago," he called running out of the portrait with Ginny following closely behind.

They made it to Dumbledore's office in a record time of five minutes, Draco was sure no one had ever done that before. He held his side as they said the password and climbed into the gargoyle staircase. Ginny was in pretty much the same state.

"Draco, Ginny," he greeted, not seeming surprised in the least to see them here at this time of night and more to the point, together.

"Professor, I want to propose to Hermione!" he blurted out.

TBC

A/N – Alright, well I know this is really, really late but I couldn't think of what to write, I had it all planned out but I couldn't start the chapter. I deleted about five! Anyway this is the finished document; I am quite pleased with it as it is VERY long. I had so many reviews. I have this story planned out from beginning to end and in all there are going to be six chapter, so four left and if I get enough reviews, I might even think about writing an epilogue. That is IF I get enough reviews, so if you want an epilogue, review. Simple, eh?

**Review Responses**

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hpluver4eva – And you can right here! LOL

Elemental Dragon – Don't worry I will continue! I love your penname, where did you come up with it?

fashionqueen – I want to be the fashion princess then! LOL. I have lost three of my grandparents, but I only remember losing one, and it wasn't to cancer.

Well, I'm going to add another author's note here to make this total 3000 words, ooh I can put a disclaimer in, I don't own Harry Potter. Flames are welcome, so if you don't like it please make a suggestion! Alright so after this it is, 3028 words! But there are more now!

Please Review

V

Coral Candy – Laura xXx


	3. I Can't Live If Livng Is Without You

**Disclaimer – Unfortunately, I do not own Harry Potter, if I did, I would be super rich, which I am not, so please don't sue me!**

**Two Months To Live**

**Chapter 3**

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Dumbledore sighed and readjusted the half moon glasses perched on top of his nose. He looked as if he was expecting an outburst like this. Someone cleared their throat, it was Professor McGonagall sitting opposite his desk, she looked shocked.

"Marriage?" she asked disbelievingly. Draco nodded; she shook her head and

stayed silent.

"I was rather expecting something like this to happen," Dumbledore told him.

"But Sir, Ginny only just suggested it to me now, how could you have known?" he asked.

"I just suspected."

He looked at the distraught young boy in front of him, he was sure he was ready to face the obstacles of marriage, and he knew he loved Hermione enough, even if the rest of the student body didn't. They hadn't seen what he had seen, he had often walked in on them play fighting in their common room, that certainly wasn't something enemies did. He had seen Draco chase Hermione around it, and when she was caught, instead of the hexes that the rest of the students would suspect he would use on her, he tackled her to the ground, where he tickled her until she begged for mercy. They were definitely a young couple in love.

"Draco, she asked you not to visit her," he told the boy carefully, he didn't want to trigger a rage of emotions. He knew that he was damn waiting to burst; to be told he couldn't marry her would just add to his heartbreak.

"I know, but she doesn't know how much she means to me, I can't survive a day without her, I need her to marry me. Please Sir." he pleaded.

"You know your Father would never approve, he has had you betrothed to Miss Parkinson since birth."

"I don't need my Father's permission, I am of age now, and he can't tell me what to do."

"Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall started, "Lucius would disown you."

"I don't care."

"But what about your inheritance?" she asked.

"I don't need it." he shrugged, it was true, he had quite enough money to lead quite a comfortable life, one that he hoped included Hermione. He would of course spend most of it on research for new treatment, the one the Dumbledore was talking about.

"Mr. Malfoy, are you sure you are ready for marriage? Her parents haven't even been introduced to you properly." Professor McGonagall pointed out.

"I will of course ask for their permission first."

"Albus? I think he should go." Said the deputy head who knew the former Head Girl best out of all the teachers.

Professor Dumbledore smiled and nodded his permission. Ginny squealed with delight she grabbed Draco around the shoulders and pulled him into her arms. Not caring who she was, he hugged her back. Ginny of course then had to go and hug Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore, Draco was pretty sure that had Snape been in the room, she would have hugged him too.

"You can use the fireplace in my office," Dumbledore said.

"Thankyou Sir."

"It is quite late already, I suggest you leave now." he told him, standing and directing him over to the floo powder, which was held in a small wooden box that sat upon the wooden ledge of the fire place.

"Do you know her address?" Professor McGonagall asked him, offering him the power. He took a handful and nodded.

"I don't understand how it is that they are hooked up? They're muggle." he asked her.

"I had them hooked up just for today, but soon it won't be today, it'll be tomorrow, so I suggest you get a move on," Dumbledore said.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Ginny cried, rushing forward and kissing him on the cheek, "Tell her I want to be bridesmaid!" Draco nodded, that was always assuming her parents let him propose, and then it depended on whether she said yes. He yelled the address and felt the familiar feeling of being pushed forward, back, down and up, all at the same time. He landed in a heap in the Granger's fireplace.

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"Did you hear that?" Mrs. Granger asked, pulling her head away from her husband chest. Her face broke out in a smile, "Hermione's back."

She got up and ran down the stairs, expecting to see her daughter at the front door, but the front door wasn't open. She opened it quickly to check that Hermione hadn't run away again. Instead she heard groaning coming from the living room.

"Stupid fireguard!" she could hear someone cursing, she gasped, there was an intruder in her home. She felt a hand on her shoulder; she immediately tensed up but relaxed when she realized it was her husband. She fearfully pointed towards the room and he picked up an umbrella hanging on one of the hooks nailed into the wall in the foyer. They both crept round the corner, waiting expectantly to see who their intruder was. They of course saw Draco frantically brushing his hair, trying to rid it of all traces of dust.

"Don't move!" Mr. Granger said holding the umbrella up above his head, much like how a baseball player would hold his bat. Draco stopped still, 'this wasn't the smoothest start,' he thought to himself.

"Um Hi, listen I'm really sorry about this, I really didn't mean to scare you like that," Draco said quietly, he didn't want to say anything that would anger the man.

"I want you to stay right there." he said turning to his wife, "Maureen, go and call the police."

"No! Um, I mean it's not what you think, I'm Draco Malfoy," he told them, carefully extending his hand towards Mr. Granger, who was only a foot away from him now. The mans eyes narrowed, it was the boy who had bullied his daughter, the fact that he later made her fall in love with him was not important at the moment.

"You're the one who bullied Hermione, aren't you?" he said menacingly. Draco groaned inwardly, of course they would remember him for that.

"Um, Hermione and I weren't _always _the best of friends," he said looking worriedly at the approaching man, he was still holding the umbrella like a bat, and he was fast deciding that it was a bad idea. He mentally slapped himself afterwards when he remembered why he was here; of course it wasn't a bad idea.

"Jimmy, I don't think you should harm the boy." Mrs. Granger called from her place in the doorway.

"Maureen, he was mean to our daughter, of course I'll hurt him, I'll bloody well kill him if I get the chance." he snarled.

"Jimmy, you won't do anything of the sort!" she snapped viciously, "He's obviously here to see Hermione, and he obviously cares about her so we'll treat him with respect!"

Mr. Granger didn't look too pleased with this arrangement. He glared at Draco, who just stared back looking a tiny bit scared.

"You said your name was Draco?" Hermione's mother asked, walking up to him. Her approach was much less intimidating than her husband's. He nodded fearfully, wondering what on earth she was going to do to him. She didn't do anything though; she just stopped next to her husband, calmly took the umbrella from his hands and placed it against the wall.

"I'm afraid Hermione isn't in at the moment." Mrs. Granger said kindly, he had suspected this seeing as she didn't come down when he crash landed here. He didn't mind though, it made it easier to ask them. He was slightly worried now that Mr. Granger had threatened to kill him

"Oh that's alright, I was kind of hoping to be able to talk to you anyway." he told them, eyeing Mr. Granger carefully.

"Oh alright, would you like something to drink?"

"No thankyou." he said politely, "Sorry about the entry here, I haven't quite mastered how to floo."

Mrs. Granger nodded in understanding and led him over to the couch where she sat down. She beckoned to her husband to come over too, but he looked hesitant.

"So dear, what is it you wanted to talk about?" Mrs. Granger asked him.

"Hermione." he said. Mrs. Granger's face fell; she was certain that was what he came for. It was almost unbearable to talk about Hermione, even though her daughter was still alive the thought that she wouldn't be for much longer made her heart shatter.

"Okay," she said uncertainly.

"As you know me and Hermione never really did get along in the beginning," he started, Mr. Granger snarled at his words, "We became friends in the beginning of seventh year, we had to, you know, be able to talk without arguing, which was something we'd never done before then. Hermione called a truce, we were both Heads and Dumbledore wanted us to do a lot of thing that involved us getting along, so we kind of had to."

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(**Flashback)**

**"I trust you will get the work done on time," Professor Dumbledore asked, on silver eyebrow raised. **

**Hermione and Draco nodded, they were standing outside of their common room, where they had just received their first project of the year, drawing up maps for the first years. It was so they'd be able to find their way around. The first years would be accompanied by prefects and Hermione and Draco for the first week, after that they were expected to make their own way to and from classes, with help from the maps of course. **

**Dumbledore nodded at them gratefully, and swiftly turned and took great long striding steps away from them, his periwinkle blue robes swishing about him like an aura.**

**Draco grabbed the parchment that they had been given and stalked off into the room. **

**"Malfoy!" Hermione called as she followed him back into the common room.**

**"What?" he called back just as annoyed as she was. He couldn't believe he had been made Head Boy with her, he was pretty sure he would have turned down the position if he'd have known. His father was most displeased, he had told him they he would be owling Dumbledore the first chance he got. It obviously didn't have any effect for he was still here in the same common room as her.**

**"Listen, I've been thinking," she said, sounding quite nervous. This was a shock to Draco who had only ever heard her talk to him with the uttermost confidence in herself. The difference in volume was noticeable too, she was normally screaming at him.**

**"Care to elaborate?" he asked sounding uninterested, but in truth he _was _interested, he indeed did want to know why she was talking to him civilly. **

**"We're going to have to a lot of things over the next year, and we won't be able to get them done if we're screaming at each other." She said carefully, taking the time to think her words through, the last thing she wanted to do was make a fool of herself. She thought she was doing okay so far, she was managing to sound intelligent and polite, two things she never thought she'd sound when talking to Draco Malfoy.**

**"So…?" Draco asked, he had a felling where this was going, and he knew he had no other choice than to agree, he would look like an idiot if he didn't, and an idiot was not something a Malfoy was.**

**"So, we need to call a truce, you know just to get us through this year without killing each other, and then you and I can go our separate ways and never talk to one another again." She told him. **

**"Okay, but Scarhead and Weasel never find out?" He asked, he certainly wasn't going to tell his friends if he was to go along with this. Hermione rolled her eyes at the names, she really did hate them. She knew Harry and Ron were just as childish for calling him 'Ferret Boy' but somehow that didn't seem as bad, after all they had just been calling him that since 4th year, not first. She shook her head.**

**"No, _Harry _and _Ron_ never need to know, and while I am in your presence, you call them by their proper names, or at the very least, Potter and Weasley." She told him. He looked disgusted by the idea but nether the less he agreed.**

**"Good." Hermione smiled, she took the parchment off of him and settled herself on the sofa.**

**"You know this means you don't call me 'Ferret' either" he said, sitting down opposite her in the armchair. Hermione nodded, Draco wasn't sure she even heard him, she was so intent on charming the parchment to copy out each person's name.**

**"Okay Granger, lets get started."**

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"After that, we were sort of friends. We could plan things without arguing after a while. In the last nine months, I've fallen in love with your daughter, I couldn't help it." He said. Mrs. Granger looked close to tears; even Mr. Granger had softened his look of hatred towards him, now it was more of an extreme dislike.

"When Hermione told me about her illness, I thought my life was over. I'd spent the first sixteen years of my life without her, but I can't do it anymore. It wasn't until this afternoon when Ginny Weasley told me to come after her that I realized what I needed to do." He told them sadly, "I want to ask Hermione to marry me. I know you brought her home so you could spend time with her, but I love her more than I can say, she's my whole world, and without her I'm a mess, a wreck, nothing. I of course am asking your permission first, but if you say yes, I swear to you, I'll make up for everything I ever did to her."

Mr. Granger's eyes widened considerably, he hadn't been expecting this; Mrs. Granger looked less surprised. She looked thoughtfully at her husband, he wasn't going to agree. She liked Draco, but she wasn't sure if he was old enough for marriage, but then Hermione only had a while, that was probably why he was asking.

"Why do you want to marry her now?" she asked him kindly.

"I love her and I want to spend the rest of my life with her, I was going to ask her on the day of our graduation, I bought the ring a while ago."

Mrs. Granger nodded understandingly, she could see that he loved her daughter and she was inclined to let him do it, now it was only a matter of getting her husband to agree with her.

"Jimmy, could I have a word with you outside please?" she asked. Her husband nodded and followed her out into the foyer.

"Maureen, now I know you are going to let him, but just hear me out. He bullied our daughter for six years. _Six Years._ That's a long time to hate someone, only to find out you're their soul mate. What if this is some cruel prank? What if he's playing with her heart?" he cried.

"Jimmy! Now that is no way to talk about your possible future son in law, I'm _sure _he'd never do a thing like that. You heard him in there, he was being sincere!"

"I knew it! I knew you'd agree!"

"Listen, our daughter loves him! As much as he's done to her, she still cares about him, it was obvious this afternoon. He wants to marry her. She only has two months to live and I think we should let her marry him if she wants to!"

"No way!"

"Jimmy! Think about it, if this makes her happy we should let her! Don't you want to see your daughter happy?" she practically screamed, she was pretty sure that Draco could hear every word of their conversation but at the moment she didn't really care, she just had to see that her husband agreed. He didn't say anything in response to this.

"Well?" she asked, still fuming from her previous reply.

"Alright! Alright!" he cried, throwing his arms up in the air in exasperation. She grinned and hugged him about his waist.

"Well go tell him then before I change my mind!" he said. Mrs. Granger disappeared into the living room. It was true, he really did want to see his daughter happy again, and if that meant walking her up the aisle to give her away to this man then so be it. She could his cry of surprise from the other room, he inwardly smiled, yes; he could handle her marrying him. Even if he did hate him 5 minutes earlier.

The front door opened behind him, he turned round in surprise. Hermione was standing there, her hair blown about her face and her cheeks were tinged red. He could see grass in her hair and her mascara and eyeliner was running down her face. He pulled her towards him and hugged her tightly. She melted into him, and all the tears she thought she had cried, came running back down her face again.

"Where did you go?" he asked her, holding her out at arms length, "your mother and I were so worried about you."

"Sorry," she mumbled, "I just had to get out."

"Your mother's in the living room, we have a visitor so you might want to get cleaned up," he told her smiling. The least he could do was make sure she looked good for when he did propose.

"No, if it's alright, I'm just going to go to bed, I'm pretty exhausted." She told him, he voice already becoming droopy with the anticipation of sleep.

"Okay honey, you go up, your mother and I will be up shortly," he told her, watching her walk up the stairs before she turned out of sight into her room. He walked back into the living area where his wife and his future son in law were talking.

"Hermione's home." He told his wife. She whipped her head around.

"When?" she asked looking at the closed front door.

"Just now, she went to bed, you can ask her up there; it's the third door on the left." He told him, sitting down besides his wife and hugging her. Draco looked at them sadly. He'd never be able to hold Hermione like that when he was their age.

He took the stairs two at a time; the excitement of proposing was quickly wearing off as he approached her door. He was beginning to think this was a bad idea. He knocked on the door.

"Come in Mom." He heard her call, he hadn't heard her voice since yesterday and it brought a warm rush of feelings to his heart. He slowly opened the door and walked into the room. She was standing with her back to him and she was brushing her hair. The hair that was bushier than anything he'd ever seen before, yet was softer than anything he'd felt before.

"Mom, I'm really sorry-" she stopped dead as she turned around to face her mother, only it wasn't her mother, it was the boy she'd left behind.

"What are you doing here," she whispered, tears were filling the honey brown orbs that he's stared at so many times.

"I had to see you." He told her.

"Draco, I left you behind because I couldn't handle the pain of you visiting," she told him, the tears in danger of falling.

"I don't want to visit, I want to stay with you." He told her as she was engulfed in his embrace. The tears poured down her face at this point, she fell downwards where he caught her and sat her down. He quickly wiped away any tears left on her cheeks.

"Listen Hermione, I came for a reason tonight. I can't live without you, mini-weasel found me in our common room this evening, and I was a wreck."

"Draco, don't you understand I'm going to die soon. _Die._" She sobbed.

"I know, and that's why I'm doing this now instead of on our graduation day, Hermione, will you marry me?" he asked her, holding out the ring box to her. That just made her cry harder, she grabbed onto him and sobbed into his shoulder. He soothingly rubbed her back.

"No," he heard her whisper into his jacket.

**A/N Ooh la la, a cliffhanger. I'm really sorry about how late this is, I try to keep them kind of regular but it's so hard! I've changed my mind about the flames; _constructive criticism _is what I want now, or any other type of feedback! Thankyou so much to all my reviewers, I've been wondering too, is there anyone who wants to check my chapters before their posted; it would help me an awful lot. It would involve me emailing the chapter to you and you reading it, making any suggestions and sending it back. I would be so grateful to anyone who would do this. **

**Also, if you want to be reminded when I update this story, please leave an email address in your anonymous review, I noticed one person did this last time so I thought I'd ask.**

**This has to be the longest chapter I have ever written. It is over 3,400 words! It took me forever to write so I hope you enjoy it. **

**This chapter is in honor of the film and book, 'The Notebook'. I don't know why, I just wanted to mention how great both the book and the film are, I read the book a while ago and I watched the film recently and they are brilliant, so I recommend them to anyone and everyone! READ,READ, READ!**

**I might even consider doing a Notebook fic, would any of you read it?**

**Thanks to; **Harry Potter Ninja, Elemental Dragon1, fashionqueen, lil-ms-sneeky, seaweedqueen, ILoveMyDraco, DarkPrincessPyro99, PrincessPotter and siriusandharryluvrr. **I love you all, I'll love you even more if you review again. Mwah!**

**Coral Candy**

**xXxLauraxXx**


	4. Remembering The Better Times

Two Months To Live

Chapter 4

Coral Candy

**Recap**

"_Listen Hermione, I came for a reason tonight. I can't live without you, mini-weasel found me in our common room this evening, and I was a wreck."_

"_Draco, don't you understand I'm going to die soon. Die." She sobbed._

"_I know, and that's why I'm doing this now instead of on our graduation day, Hermione, will you marry me?" he asked her, holding out the ring box to her. That just made her cry harder, she grabbed onto him and sobbed into his shoulder. He soothingly rubbed her back._

"_No," he heard her whisper into his jacket._

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He shut his eyes tightly, trying to block out her hurtful words, wishing that she hadn't said them, only he knew that she had and it was breaking his heart. Hermione was still gripping his jacket, sobbing.

"Why?" he whispered, he was sure that if he spoke any louder his voice would break. He felt Hermione begin to pull away but he held her still, holding her to him. He was afraid that if he let her go, he'd never hold her again.

"Why?"

"I can't." She answered in a hushed voice. She looked up at him, her eye lashes spiked with tears.

"Yes you can." He told her, holding her shoulders and looking up at her. She had tear trails down each of her cheeks.

"No, I can't let you!" she cried trying desperately to back away out of his arms. He wouldn't let her though. Her tears were now pouring silently down her face. He had a feeling she would be like this, stubborn. It was one thing that he couldn't handle right now. He needed her to be willing and carefree, but how could she be that when she had just been told she had cancer?

"What?" he asked dumbly, he knew exactly why she didn't say yes and it wasn't anything to do with her not loving him enough. She looked at him and struggled to find the words.

"Draco- we're, we're se- seventeen!" she stuttered. She shook her head sadly, "Seventeen is too young for marriage."

"No it's not!" Draco cried standing from her bed to pace the room. He couldn't say the reason he wanted to marry her was because of the fact she might not live until graduation. He didn't know how she'd react.

"Hermione," he began awkwardly, rolling the ring box in between his hands, "You and this illness, it just made me realize that I don't want to wait. I don't need to; I know you're the one I want to spend the rest of my life with!

"You may think that now but what happens when you realize I'm not the one for you?" she asked hardly daring to think of Draco with anyone else.

"What! Are you mad Hermione, I thought we'd established the fact that you are?"

_**(Flashback)**_

_**"Hermione? Where are you going?" Harry asked as he watched her stand and gather her belongings from the Gryffindor table.**_

_**"What? Oh, I have a bunch of Head stuff to do, don't worry I'll meet you guys in the Three Broomsticks at lunch though. I just need Dumbledore to check the new prefect rounds timetable Malfoy and I made." She said, struggling to cram three large text books into her school bag.**_

_**"You didn't put me with the git did you?" Ron asked.**_

_**"No Ron, I need to do rounds with Malfoy because he's Head and so am I. Prefects curfew is 12 o'clock anyway so you couldn't do the later rounds."**_

_**"What time's your curfew then?" Ron asked. Harry rolled his eyes, he knew that Ron had asked the same question at least three times this week.**_

_**"2 o'clock Ron, like I told you yesterday." She gritted out, he really was annoying.**_

_**"I don't like the thought of leaving you with Draco Malfoy at that time of night." Ron said thoughtfully.**_

_**"Ron, I'm a big girl, I can handle myself. Okay?"**_

_**"But there are no teachers awake at that time of night, are there?"**_

_**"I'm pretty sure that Dumbledore doesn't fall asleep until almost dawn, I've seen him on the Marauders Map." Harry told him, pouring more pumpkin juice into his goblet.**_

_**"And Snape. I mean can you imagine Snape sleeping?" Hermione said. Harry nodded in agreement.**_

_**"Still, it's pretty dangerous don't you think, I mean he could be a junior death eater!" Ron said.**_

_**"Ron!" Hermione cried outraged.**_

_**"He could!"**_

_**"Whatever, I need to go and get this done now though; otherwise I won't be able to meet you for lunch."**_

_**"Why isn't Malfoy helping you? I mean shouldn't he be going with you or something? Not that I mind him not being near you or anything, I just don't think it's fair that he piles all the work onto you."**_

"_**He doesn't Ron; he's meeting me at the common room. Now, I need to go." She said walking through the tables and out of the Great Hall, waving to them both on the way.**_

_**She quickly ran the rest of the way to the common room provided for both Head Boy and Head Girl, knowing that she was at least five minutes late. Draco was going to be mad, she had moaned at him only this morning to remember to be on time. She burst into the room and saw him sitting on the couch looking decidedly grumpy. She cautiously walked up to him and dropped her bag on the floor next to her. She took a seat next to him and touched his arm.**_

_**"Draco?" she asked, he was glaring at her now.**_

_**"You're late." He said simply before swooping down and kissing her. She smiled against him; he could never hold a grudge with her. Well he used to be able to. In fact he'd held a six year grudge, but that was long forgotten now.**_

_**"I'm so sorry; Harry, Ron and I were discussing the details for Hogsmeade." She told him when he pulled away. He groaned and rested his forehead on hers.**_

_**"I wish I could go with you." He told her softly.**_

_**"And Harry and Ron?" she asked skeptically. He made a face and shook his head.**_

_**"No, just with you."**_

_**"Have you got the timetables?" She asked, looking at the piles of papers on the table in front of them.**_

_**"Hm, mm," he nodded, reaching for the largest pile. He handed them to her and watched her sift through them. He smiled unknowingly.**_

_**"What?" she asked grinning; she knew he'd been watching her.**_

_**"You are so beautiful." He said, reaching out to stroke her cheek. Hermione blushed and turned her head away.**_

_**"Come on, Dumbledore will be here soon" she told him standing up. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down on his lap.**_

"_**Draco! What if Professor Dumbledore comes in now?" she gasped. Draco shrugged his shoulder and buried his face in her hair.**_

"_**We'll let him watch."**_

"_**No!" she giggled half-heartedly. She felt him mumble something into her neck. She lifted her head and looked at him at him strangely.**_

"_**What?" she asked frowning slightly.**_

"_**I love you." He told her, looking her in the eye as he said it. She looked slightly shocked; she knew she loved him but he wasn't one to be so upfront about his feelings, so to hear him say this came as a surprise.**_

"_**I love you too." She said smiling, she'd never told anyone apart from her family and Harry and Ron that. It felt different, but in a good way. He kissed her again and she fell back on the couch laughing.**_

_**KNOCK KNOCK**_

"_**Mr. Malfoy, Miss. Granger?" they heard the headmaster call. Hermione sat up quickly, her face flushing with embarrassment. To her surprise, the head teacher had decided to wait outside the door, instead of coming straight in like he usually did. There was a sinking feeling in the bottom of her stomach and she wondered whether Dumbledore knew about her and Draco. She most certainly hoped not. Spreading the news of their relationship was not something she planned on doing, at least not yet anyway.**_

"_**Draco, go and answer the door!" Hermione whispered and pushed him off of her as she ran to the bathroom.**_

"_**Why do I have to?" he called after her retreating form. He didn't get and answer.**_

"No, you told me you loved me Draco, what if you were wrong? What if you find out you don't?"

"That won't happen!" he cried out in frustration. Hermione knew that he loved her, if she was in her right state of mind, she'd know that. He was sure of it.

"Merlin Hermione, what will it take for you to realize that I do? Do you not want to get married?" he asked, suddenly stricken with worry that the reason Hermione was saying no was because she didn't want to, or she didn't love him enough.

"Do you love me?" he asked, worry painted all over his pale features.

She nodded frantically and grabbed his face in her hands. She kissed him firmly on the mouth and nodded again.

"Yes, of course I love you!"

"Then why won't you marry me?"

"Because I'm dying!" she cried out, more tears spilling down her face, already painted with red streaks. She collapsed in a heap on her bed, sobbing, the situation suddenly dawning on her. The fact that she wasn't going to live long enough to be able to marry Draco, she wasn't going to be able to have children like she so badly wanted to. She was going to die at the age of seventeen.

"No! No, you don't know that!" He cried, bending down and pulling her up to him, cradling her shaking figure in his arms, "The treatment might start to work, and there are other treatments that you can try."

"I've tried all the treatments, none of them will work," she said, he could barely hear her; the words seemed to drown out through his shirt.

"Dumbledore told me they're working on new ones all the time!"

"They are, but Draco, they've given me two months. _Two months to live. _They're never going to come up with a cure that fast." She told him shaking her head.

"I want to marry you Hermione." He whispered into her temple, his hand stroking her hair. She was still shaking and shivering, the words he'd just said, creating a slight shudder down her back. He caught her chin in his fingers and brought her face up to look at him, he saw her eye swimming with unshed tears, she seemed determined to not let them fall.

"I can't do that to you. You should wait until you find someone else and then she can have your children, I won't be able to do that Draco."

"Damn it Hermione, I don't _want _anyone else! I'm in love with you! Why can't you understand that?"

"I do, and I love you too."

"Then marry me." He said, stroking the side of her cheek.

"I- I can't," she stuttered, never breaking eye contact with him. It was almost as if she was afraid he'd disappear if she did.

"Yes you can." He told her gently, talking to her as if she was a small child.

"Okay." She whispered

**A/N Hey everyone, I hoped you enjoyed the chapter. I want to let everyone know how wonderful **jonadark **is. She had agreed to beta this story for me and I am so grateful to her. She has done a fantastic job!**

**Thankyou to; **Harry Potter Ninja**, DarkPrincessPyro99, **SculderXPhile**, lil-RaBi, **lalala, **Sam, **yumi-silver-rose, **Kara Black, **siriusndharryluvrramrawo**, Princess Potter, **fashionqueen, **Fallen Through, **seaweedqueen, **JONADARK, **Sakurashope7 , **ally, **fuzzy dice.

Pleas go and read my new story, The Storm, it WILL have Draco and Hermione in it, but not together, and they're four years old. I have no reviews so far and am feeling very put out!

Laura


	5. Fearing The Worst

Disclaimer I do not own Harry Potter, if I did I would not be writing fanfiction and there would be a definite DHr pairing in the books!

Two Months To Live

Chapter 5

Coral Candy

By lunchtime on Monday, the rumours which the students were sprouting were unbelievable, well not entirely, but very unlikely. The most popular one was that Hermione had finally snapped from the pressure she'd been under—studying for the NEWT's—and had killed Draco.

Completely unlikely, but most people, well the Gryffindor's, Ravenclaw's and some Hufflepuff's were secretly hoping that it was true. No matter how much influence Draco Malfoy had over his fellow students did not change the fact that he was, in a word—disliked.

When Draco had not appeared for breakfast—something the entire student body noticed—Pansy made a big show as she had Blaise check the Head Boy's common room to see if Draco was there. It had to be Blaise; Pansy had thought with annoyance, he was the only one who knew the password. No matter how often Pansy had begged to know, Draco had never obliged her.

When Blaise returned to an anxious Pansy he greeted her with less than impressive news. Draco wasn't there. Pansy had then spent the whole of first period, missing History of Magic, to search for him. She had come wailing into Potions, screaming that he wasn't on the grounds and that he was dead. It was a very, very dramatic performance in most people's opinion, but never the less, the word seemed to spread and that is what happened up to Lunch. Professor McGonagall heard the rumours then and was desperately trying to squash them. When she alerted Dumbledore, McGonagall was less than happy to find the Headmaster of Hogwarts being entertained by the students' rumours.

"This is unreal!" Ron moaned as he and Harry made their way over to Ginny at the Gryffindor lunch table, "Who would seriously believe that_ Hermione _would _kill _someone?"

"I don't know, I think everyone thought she had a pretty bad relationship with him, I mean come on, we thought she did up until a couple of days ago."

"Yeah I suppose, but still, _death?_"

"Oh good you're here," Ginny looked up. "I wanted to ask you about a question I have about Potions." Ginny beamed as Harry took his usual seat next to her, Ron climbed over and sat opposite them.

"What do you think of the rumours?" Ron grinned at his little sister, "Pretty bizarre, huh?"

"I think they're simply awful, so many people wanting him to be dead." Ginny said distastefully shaking her head.

"We're talking about Malfoy here Ginny."

"Oh really! If he was good enough for Hermione, then I suppose we'll just _have_ to be nice to him!"

"_You _know about that?" Ron asked, mouth hanging slightly open so that food was spilling out.

"Ron! Keep your mouth closed while you eat!" Ginny snapped. He swallowed loudly while Harry looked on in amusement.

"She told _you_, but not us?"

"No, Draco told me on Saturday night," she said, returning her attention to her essay.

"_Draco?_" Harry asked surprised.

"You saw Malfoy that night? Well we can prove that Hermione is innocent then!"

"Dumbledore doesn't need convincing. He knows Hermione enough to know that she wouldn't do anything like that."

"Do you know where he is Ginny?" Harry asked suspiciously. Ginny was turning away from him, a sure sign that she was lying. Harry grimaced; he had a very bad feeling that Malfoy had gone after Hermione. "STUDENTS!" A loud booming voice called from the teachers' table, "Could I just have your attention for a moment?"

Immediately the Great Hall was silenced, it was amazing the affect Dumbledore had on people.

"I know you have been wondering where the Head Boy has disappeared to, but before I say anything else I'd like to tell you that the rumours I have heard are not true. The Head Boy, Draco Malfoy is very much alive, and as far as I know, in excellent health." Several groans could be heard, mostly coming from the Gryffindor table. Pansy, however, looked immensely relieved and let out a huge sigh of relief.

"And also who your new Head Girl will be. We have spent a lot of time considering who would be best for this position and we have come to the decision of making Hannah Abbot of Hufflepuff Head Girl."

The Great Hall erupted into claps and cheers as a very red faced and embarrassed Hannah stared intently at her food, she was a very shy person and didn't like attention.

"As for your Head Boy, he had some family matters to attend to and will be back soon. You may all get back to your lunch now," he concluded smiling faintly at Ginny who was beaming at the comment he had made about _family _matters. She really did hope it was family matters, or soon-to-be family matters.

"You know why Malfoy's gone don't you? He _went_ to see Hermione, didn't he?" Harry asked, a smug look on his face. It wasn't everyday that he figured out a mystery—even one as lame as this.

"What?" Ron asked, slightly bewildered. He hadn't considered that possibility and now that he thought about it, he didn't like it at all. The mental image alone of Hermione and their enemy made him sick.

"Of course not Harry." Ginny said diving under the table, trying in vane to hide her face. She was certain that the fact she was lying was as clear as day upon her face.

"But you know where he is?"

"No, I didn't say that."

"Wait. Hold on, I don't think I'm with you." Ron said, for as usual, he was quite clueless.

"I think Malfoy went to see Hermione." Harry told him.

Ginny was still under the table, grumbling something about a missing timetable.

"Why would he do that?"

"Ron, I know you don't like the fact nor believe that Malfoy has a heart, but I think he really does care for Hermione."

"Ginny?" Ron asked, his eyebrows scrunched together in worry. "Is this true?"

"How in Merlin's name am I supposed to know?" She cried defensively.

"You were with him last night, weren't you?" Harry asked, leaning in close to peer into her eyes—his theory being that no one could lie to him if he was looking them straight in the eye. Good theory, but for that to happen, the person must know you are looking at them and unfortunately for Harry, Ginny was far too preoccupied in the staring contest with Ron.

"Ginny?"

"Yes, I was with him last night, but that doesn't mean I know where he is."

At that moment, the Great Hall doors burst open and Draco Malfoy walked in with much the same air that he had when he was there just two days before at breakfast. Hermione wasn't with him. Ginny looked on confusedly but quickly wiped all emotion from her face. Harry was watching.

The hall became eerily silent as the Slytherin walked to his house table. The silence was broken by a loud and annoying series of squeals emitted from Pansy who ran up and threw herself around Draco.

"See." Ginny said simply. She had more important things to do than explain to the two dim whit's what was going on. She needed to talk to Draco. He'd returned…alone. Ginny quickly got up and excused herself. The sooner she found out why Hermione wasn't here, the better. Time was essential.

**A/N - Yay, has everyone seen the new Harry Potter trailer? If anyone hasn't, I recommend you do so, quickly! A lot of people asked me in there reviews if whether or not this is based on the novel, A Walk To Remember. The truth is, it wasn't, but now I read through it and I can see where you all thought it was, if it is becoming too much like that I'm sorry, it will change! I think I better give some recognition to the wonderful author though, Nicholas Sparks. After JK, he is by far the best author around today. In my opinion anyway.**

**If you haven't read the book, A Walk To Remember, read it! I love it! Or watch the movie, but the book is better. And also read The Notebook, it's, my favourite book! People are going to kill me for saying that on a Harry Potter fanfiction! No seriously, read them, they're excellent. The Notebook has also been made into a movie with Ryan Gosling (I'm in love with him!) and Rachel Mcadams. I'm sure most of you have already seen it, but for those of you who haven't, DO!**

**I'm very sorry for the delay, my inspiration has flown away, and of course, summer is over and there is no more nice weather where I live! It's just cold, cold, cold! I know I really should update After She Wakes, but I really am out of ideas for that one, do not fear, I will NOT abandon my story, I love it too much! If anyone does have and idea, please tell me. I'm working on a new story; this one won't be posted until I have finished it so I won't get behind! It's a Notebook fic!**

**Thanks so much to jonadark, she really is the greatest! Also to all my reviewers!**

Caligirl-HPLVR, **seaweedqueen, **Princess Potter, **Kristen, **amrawo, **YES, **Harry Potter Ninja, **Elemental Dragon1, **mysteriouscharm, **FallenThrough, **siriusndharryluvrr, **LuvPotionNo9, **fashionqueen.

Also thanks to you who reviewed other chapters.

I'll try to update again soon.


	6. Sole Arrival

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**Two Months To Live**

**Chapter 6**

**Coral Candy**

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Ginny quickly excused herself from the boys and as she passed the Slytherin House table, gave Draco a sharp look that clearly said _follow me_. Draco rolled his eyes but nether the less reluctantly left the table and followed her into the nearby corridor. She was waiting by a statue of a famous medi-witch, with her arms crossed and tapping her foot impatiently. Draco could tell she was not happy.

"Where's Hermione?"

"What do you mean where's Hermione?" Draco asked dumbly, he knew what she meant, but he wanted to keep her waiting just a bit longer.

"You were meant to stay and _convince _her!" Ginny exclaimed, slapping him upside the head.

"It wouldn't have helped, she made up her mind," he told her, rubbing his head, for a small girl, she sure was violent; he had no idea how Harry put up with her.

"You'll go back!"

"What's the point if she's coming here?"

"What's the point? Draco... she's coming here?"

He nodded, and waited to see her reaction, he wasn't disappointed she made a questioning face and he nodded, understanding what she was asking and then she gave the loudest, highest pitched squeal he'd ever heard, he was surprised the teachers didn't come rushing out to check what all the noise was.

"She said yes?" Ginny asked excitedly. Draco nodded enthusiastically; she grabbed him round the neck and pulled him down to be embraced. He was shocked at this and wasn't ready for the display of affection from someone who he'd disliked for the past six years. He awkwardly patted her on the back and waited patiently to be releases, he could tell it wasn't going ot be soon though because she was currently jumping up and down, still attached to him.

"Ginny?" Harry's voice startled her and pulled her back to reality. She spun around to see Harry looking rather confused at the pair of them. Ginny was beaming wildly and Draco was wearing an expression as if to say he was as confused as Harry was.

"Harry!" She squealed, running forward and jumping up and holding him in a hug. He looked down at her, clearly shocked at her actions.

"Um, Gin? What's going on?" Ron asked from beside Harry, he was giving Malfoy a cold look, he still had not got used to the fact that he and Hermione used to date. Or were still dating, but Ron did not know that.

"Can I tell them?" Ginny asked Draco, he shrugged and nodded, "Draco and Hermione are getting married!"

Both boy's jaws dropped, Harry had to quickly shake himself from his daze to catch Ginny who had launched herself into his arms.

"Married, but Hermione went home. She's ill, how could you be…" Ron trailed off, looking from Harry to Ginny to Malfoy.

"Draco went to her house to ask her. He asked Dumbledore if he could go and then I don't quite know what happened after that." Ginny explained, dropping down from Harry she turned to Draco. All three Gryffindors were wearing expressions that clearly read, 'What did happen?'

"When is she coming?" Harry asked, clearly eager to see her again.

"Later on, she's coming with her parents; they want to speak to Dumbledore."

"Wait, hold on!" Ginny shushed them with hand movements that came dangerously close to Ron's head, "Tell me every detail!"

She linked arms with the Slytherin and dragged him down the corridor, back towards the Great Hall.

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"So at first she didn't say yes?" Ginny asked again, she was sitting at the Slytherin house table and was receiving funny looks from the students.

"Yes." Draco said tiredly, she'd made him recall everything he had said, he couldn't remember all of it in his panic to convince her to say yes.

"Okay, I have to go and tell Harry!" She jumped up excitedly and raced out of the doors, Draco couldn't remember a time where he had seen her so lively, of course he hadn't known her all that well, and he still didn't now. Ginny was treating him as if they'd been friends for all the time they'd been at Hogwarts together.

He looked around hiself to see many people giving his weird looks, many looked disgusted. He rested his head on the table in front of him. The lack of sleep starting to catch up with him now. He had spent most of the night before convincing Hermione that marrying him was the right decision.

"Marrying Granger huh?" an amused voice said quietly to his left, "You know I think I had a dream like this once."

"Shut up Zabini"

"What crawled up your-"

"I said shut up! Please?" Draco asked lifting his head briefly to glare at the boy sitting next to him before dropping it back down again.

"Okay, okay. Can I ask what this you marrying Granger thing is all about then?"

"What do you think it is?"

"Um, a joke?"

"It's not." Draco said, Blaise's shock wouldn't have been apparent to anyone who had seen him, he controlled his emotions well, no one would have seen the surprise etched on to his face because there was none. He stared down at the blond's head, waiting for him to lift it.

"Well, aren't you going to make a joke, insult me?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's your decision." Blaise stood up from the Slytherin table and walked away towards the doors leading out from the Great Hall, taking a muffin on the way.

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_"Mum, Dad?" Hermione asked quietly opening the door an inch or so to see if they were still awake. She saw her mother bolt upright from her slouching position on the couch where she and Hermione's father were watching TV._

_"Yes?" Mrs. Granger asked a little too eagerly. Hermione smiled and held up her left hand showing them the ring that Draco had given her after she had accepted, her mother screamed enthusiastically and jumped up, wrapping her daughter and her soon to be son in law up in a tight embrace._

_"Jimmy, come here too."_

_Just the look in her fathers eyes at the prospect of a group hug was enough to life the whole family's mood._

**A/N – You have NO idea how absolutely, unbelievably, really, really, really sorry I am that the update for this is almost 2 years late! I have had the busiest schedule ever what with my two-year course finals and everything. I have no idea if people are still interested in this but if they are, please, please, please review. You'll make my day.**

**LJ**

**X x x x**


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